Reuse rather than waste materials is the message of a campaign being lauanched at Herts County Show

A CAMPAIGN to encourage people to reuse rather than waste materials is being launched at the Herts County Show.

A special display being staged by the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership will include a model wearing a spectacular dress made from 259 reused ties.

Representatives from the partnership will be on hand at the County Showground in Redbourn on May 29 and 30 to demonstrate a range of ideas, from making wind chimes from old cutlery to using worn out wellington boots as plant pots.

Residents can also complete a survey on their attitude to waste and be in with a chance to win a batter recharger.

The campaign runs throughtout the year and will include posters at supermarket recycling sites around the county which give advice on how to reuse rather than bin or recycle items.

The posters demonstrate that with a little imagination, everyday objects can have a wide range of uses. An empty cereal box can quickly become a useful box file. An old dress or curtains can make great cushions. Popping tea lights into old jam jars make ideal night lights for your garden.

“Reusing or repairing items are effective ways of keeping unwanted items out of landfill, as well as saving money,” said Derrick Ashley, chairman of the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership and Hertfordshire County Council’s executive member for waste.

“Simple actions by a lot of people can have a big impact on the amount of waste we produce and also on the environment. For example, passing on an unwanted T-shirt to a charity shop doesn’t just mean one fewer item going to landfill. It take 800 litres of water to make a T-shirt and 24 per cent of the world’s pesticides are used to grow cotton, so the person buying your T-shirt is helping the environment and reducing their carbon footprint.

“Many people think that recycling is the only alternative to throwing things away, but reusing products is even better for the environment. The Hertfordshire Waste Partnership will be out around the county throughout the year promoting reuse ideas. Everything you need to know about the partnerhip and the campaign is online at www.wasteaware.org.uk”